Wire gripping tool

ABSTRACT

A wire gripping tool particularly adapted to grip and facilitate for bending and the like of large electric wires when wiring switch boxes, fuse boxes or the like, having a head including wire gripping jaws actuatable to gripping position by a lever controlled cable, the head and wire gripping jaws being pivotally mounted on a handle to be turned angularly with respect to the axis of the handle, and controllable ratchet means selectively permitting angular turning and locking of the head and jaws.

United States Patent 1191 McGlothlin Jan. 22, 1974 WIRE GRIPPING TOOL[76] Inventor: Charles J. McGlothlin, Rt. 1, Box f 'f' La'mam 198Madison Height Madison Assistant Examiner-Robert M. Rogers Heights Va24572 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-David l-l. Semmes PP N01 243,716 A wiregripping tool particularly adapted to grip and facilitate for bendingand the like of large electric [52] 72/480 81/391 [4006 wires whenwiring switch boxes, fuse boxes or the like, 511 Int. Cl azsb 7/04having a head including gripping Jaws actumab'e [53] Field ofsearchmo/ma 72/D]G 17.412 415, to gripping position by a levercontrolled cable, the 72/416 81/39] 392 393 head and wire gripping awsbeing pivotally mounted on a handle to be turned angularly with respectto the [56] References Cited axis of the handle, and controllableratchet means se- UNITED STATES PATENTS lectively permitting angularturning and locking of the head and jaws. 570,218 10/1896 Blumer l40/l061,123,243 1 1915 Champ 8l/393 6 Cla ms, 5 Drawing Figures WIRE GRIPPINGTOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Bending of large electric wires when,for example,

wiring switch boxes or fuse boxes present problems due to confinedoperating areas and wire insu-lation damage. Prior tools usable for thispurpose have not enabled leverage to be applied in the confined space ofa switch box. The nature of pliers heretofore used have in manyinstances inherently damaged the wire insulation.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a wire bending toolwhich overcomes these drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A wire gripping tool suitable to facilitatebending large electric wires and the like, especially for wiring switchboxes, fuse boxes and the like. A cable which is lever actuatable allowspliers to lock and grip the wire firmly without damaging the insulation.A spring functions to open the plier jaws upon release of the handle. Aratchet section is attached to the plier head and is engageable byfingers which are spring biased into engagement therewith, but which arereleasable by turning a ratchet pin. The pin upon turning releasesratchet engagement of the fingers and the pliers can be turned 90 to theleft or right. A midway pin position locks the ratchet so that thepliers cannot turn left or right. The handle contains a reducing bushingto accommodate a one-half inch socket, and a square shaped handlepermits use of other standard wrenches.

Additional features, objects and advantages of the invention will bemore readily apparent from the following detailed description of anembodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. I is a plan view of the tool including a schematic depiction of ajaw open position;

FIG. 2 is a side view taken at right angles to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing details ofhead pivoting control mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail of mechanism for pivoting or turning thehead in a locked position; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to H0. 4 with the locking means being open topermit head rotation or pivoting.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, the tool includes anelongate hollow handle which preferably is adapted at its free end forassociation with a onehalf inch socket ratchet or the like foradditional leverage purposes. The opposite end of handle 10 isbifurcated as generally indicated at 12 and thereby providing spacedears I4 and 16 having matching openings 18 and 20 therein. A headgenerally designated 22 in the nature of a pliers head is operativelyassociated with handle [0.

Head 22 includes a fixed jaw portion 24 and a movable jaw portion 26pivotally mounted on fixed jaw section by pivot 28 or the like. The jawsare provided with mating curvilinear wire gripping segments 30 adaptedfor coacting engagement about a wire and ofa configuration which willprevent damage to wire insulation. The movable jaw portion includes acurved and extended arm 32 having an opening therethrough at 34 throughwhich passes a flexible cable 36 having stop means 38 secured on thefree end thereof for relative fixing with respect to arm 32. The cableextends through a hollow bushing 40 which is mounted between ears [4 and16 as shown in FIG. I and then extends over a pulley 42 rotatablymounted on a triangular piece 43. A lever 44 is pivotally and slidablymounted on handle 10 by means of bracket 46 as operatively disclosed inFIG. 3.

Spring means are operatively interengaged between jaws 24 and 26 atpivot 28 biasing the jaws to an open position. The open position of thejaws and associated cable and lever are indicated by broken lines inFIG. 1 with the open jaw being shown at 26A, cable at 36A and lever at44A. The spring upon release of lever 44 will open the jaws to thisposition whereas when lever 44 is pressed toward handle 10 the jawsclose to the full line position for gripping of the wire therebetween.

The head 22 which includes jaws 24 and 26 includes a bifurcated rearportion 48 formed as an extension of fixed jaw 24. The arm 32 of movablejaw 26 extends into slot 50 and is pivotally mounted therein by pivot28. The bifurcated rear portion 48 terminates in a toothed ratchet end50 of circular configuration, dis posed at a right angle to the plane ofthe bifurcated por tion, and having spaced teeth 52 peripherally spacedtherearound. The ratchet 50 preferably is formed as a separate unit andattached by means of set screws 54 or the like to the bifurcated rearportion 48 to facilitate manufacture and assembly.

A pair of separate fingers 56 and 58 are pivotally mounted on pin 60extending through handle l0 and are spring pressed or biased by springs62 to an inner ratchet locking position as will appear hereinafter.Intennediate the fingers 56, 58 is a cam 64 pivotally mounted on pin 66journalled in and through ears l4, l6 and having an operating handle 68extending exteriorally.

As shown in FIG. 4, the springs 62, with the lobe of cam 64 in a neutralor disengaged position, bias or press fingers 56, 58 into engagementwith the teeth 52 of ratchet 50. This is a locking position and coactionof the fingers with the ratchet teeth prevent rotation of the head 22about bushing 40 which mounts the same between ears l4, 16 on andle 10.with the pin 66 and handle 68 moved to a middle position as shown inFIG. 4, the head is locked with respect to its angular positionment onthe handle. By turning pin 66 the lobe on cam 64 will press against oneor the other of fingers 56, 58 to move the same to an open position asshown in FIG. 5. Movement of handle 68 is indicated by arrows 70 and inthis position of the fingers the head can be ro tated through release ofthe ratchet to positions to the left or right. Such positionment orincrements therebetween enables leverage to be applied in the confinedspace of the switch box.

As pointed out above, the handle is adapted for engagement with a socketratchet for additional leverage and it will be noted that the squareshape of the handle also permits the use of other standard wrenches.

Manifestly, minor changes in details of construction can be effectedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedin and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wire gripping tool comprising:

A. a handle;

B. a gripping head pivotally mounted on said handle for angular rotationtherearound, and including:

i. a fixed jaw,

ii. a pivoted jaw; and

iii. said fixed and pivoted jaws being spring biased to an openposition;

C. a lever actuated cable operatively connected to said pivoted jaw, forpivoting movement thereof, said cable upon actuation of said lever andpivoting of said pivoted jaw closing said jaws with respect to oneanother opposedly to the spring biasing means;

D. a toothed ratchet segment on said head pivotally mounted therein;

E. pivotally mounted spring pressed fingers operably normally engagedwith the ratchet teeth preventing rotation of said head; and

F. means to selectively disengage one or the other of said fingers fromsaid ratchet, whereby said head is angularly movable with respect tosaid handle.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, said means to selectively disengagesaid fingers comprising a rotatable pin mounted on said handleintermediate said fingers, a cam mounted on said pin and having a lobethereon selectively engageable with one or the other of said fingersupon rotation of said pin and cam therewith to disengage one or theother of said fingers from engagement with said ratchet teeth to permitrotation of said head 3. A tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pinhas an extended operating handle, said pin being rotatable by saidhandle from a median position with both fingers spring engaged withteeth on said ratchet to oppositely angled positions wherein one or theother of said fingers is disengaged from the teeth of said ratchet andpermitting head rotation in the disengaged pin direction.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, said handle having a bifurcated end,said ratchet segment on said head being pivotally mounted between theears of the bifurcated portion, said fingers, springs and cam beingmounted between and attached to said ears of said bifurcated portion.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 4, said movable jaw including an extendedarm thereon, said cable extending through said arm and being operativelyattached thereto, a pulley mounted on said handle, a lever arm pivotallymounted on said handle, said cable extending around said pulley and atits free end being attached to said lever and operable thereby formoving said pivoted jaw to a closed position.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 5, said fixed jaw includ' ing a bifurcatedend, said arm on said pivoted jaw extending through the bifurcatedportion of said fixed jaw and being pivotally connected thereto, saidjaws having respective coacting curvilinear wire engaging segmentsthereon.

* 1F il l

1. A wire gripping tool comprising: A. a handle; B. a gripping headpivotally mounted on said handle for angular rotation therearound, andincluding: i. a fixed jaw, ii. a pivoted jaw; and iii. said fixed andpivoted jaws being spring biased to an open position; C. a leveractuated cable operatively connected to said pivoted jaw, for pivotingmovement thereof, said cable upon actuation of said lever and pivotingof said pivoted jaw closing said jaws with respect to one anotheropposedly to the spring biasing means; D. a toothed ratchet segment onsaid head pivotally mounted therein; E. pivotally mounteD spring pressedfingers operably normally engaged with the ratchet teeth preventingrotation of said head; and F. means to selectively disengage one or theother of said fingers from said ratchet, whereby said head is angularlymovable with respect to said handle.
 2. A tool as claimed in claim 1,said means to selectively disengage said fingers comprising a rotatablepin mounted on said handle intermediate said fingers, a cam mounted onsaid pin and having a lobe thereon selectively engageable with one orthe other of said fingers upon rotation of said pin and cam therewith todisengage one or the other of said fingers from engagement with saidratchet teeth to permit rotation of said head.
 3. A tool as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said pin has an extended operating handle, said pinbeing rotatable by said handle from a median position with both fingersspring engaged with teeth on said ratchet to oppositely angled positionswherein one or the other of said fingers is disengaged from the teeth ofsaid ratchet and permitting head rotation in the disengaged pindirection.
 4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, said handle having abifurcated end, said ratchet segment on said head being pivotallymounted between the ears of the bifurcated portion, said fingers,springs and cam being mounted between and attached to said ears of saidbifurcated portion.
 5. A tool as claimed in claim 4, said movable jawincluding an extended arm thereon, said cable extending through said armand being operatively attached thereto, a pulley mounted on said handle,a lever arm pivotally mounted on said handle, said cable extendingaround said pulley and at its free end being attached to said lever andoperable thereby for moving said pivoted jaw to a closed position.
 6. Atool as claimed in claim 5, said fixed jaw including a bifurcated end,said arm on said pivoted jaw extending through the bifurcated portion ofsaid fixed jaw and being pivotally connected thereto, said jaws havingrespective coacting curvilinear wire engaging segments thereon.